Effect of nutrition and physical activity on cancer development

It has been estimated by the World Cancer Research Fund that one-quarter to one-third of the cancers that occur in high-income countries like the US are due to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and excess weight, and thus could be prevented. Maintaining a healthy body weight, being physically active on a regular basis, and eating a healthy diet are as important as not using tobacco products in reducing cancer risk.

The American Cancer Society’s nutrition and physical activity guidelines emphasize the importance of weight control, physical activity, dietary patterns, and limited, if any, alcohol consumption in reducing cancer risk and helping people stay well; unfortunately, the majority of Americans are not meeting these recommendations. Increasing trends in unhealthy eating and physical inactivity – and resultant increases in overweight and obesity – have largely been influenced by the environments in which people live, learn, work, and play. As a result, the guidelines include explicit Recommendations for Community Action to facilitate the availability of healthy, affordable food choices and opportunities for physical activity in communities, schools, and workplaces.

The following recommendations reflect the best nutrition and physical activity evidence available to help Americans reduce their risk of cancer, as well as lower their risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Recommendations for Individual Choices

1. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout life.

Be as lean as possible throughout life without being underweight.

Avoid excess weight gain at all ages. For those who are currently overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start.

Engage in regular physical activity and limit consumption of high-calorie foods and beverages as key strategies for maintaining a healthy weight.

In the United States, it has been estimated that overweight and obesity contribute to 14% to 20% of all cancer-related mortality. Overweight and obesity are clearly associated with increased risk for developing many cancers, including cancers of the breast in postmenopausal women, colon and rectum, endometrium, adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, kidney, and pancreas. Overweight and obesity may also be associated with increased risk of cancers of the liver, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, cervix, ovary, and aggressive prostate cancer, and obesity also likely increases the risk of cancer of the gallbladder. In addition, abdominal fatness is convincingly associated with colorectal cancer, and probably related to higher risk of pancreatic, endometrial, and postmenopausal breast cancers.

Increasing evidence also suggests that being overweight increases the risk for cancer recurrence and decreases the likelihood of survival for several cancers. Some studies have shown that surgery to treat morbid obesity reduces mortality from major chronic diseases, including cancer. Although knowledge about the relationship between weight loss and cancer risk is incomplete, individuals who are overweight should be encouraged and supported in their efforts to reduce weight.

At the same time that evidence connecting excess weight to increased cancer risk has been accumulating, trends in overweight and obesity have been increasing dramatically. The prevalence of obesity in the US more than doubled between 1976-1980 and 2003-2006. Although overall prevalence has stabilized in recent years, more than one-third of adults – 36% of both men and women – are currently obese. More than likely, these trends are already impacting cancer trends: in the midpoint assessment of its 2015 Challenge Goals, American Cancer Society researchers reported that while the incidence of both colorectal cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer had been declining, it is likely that the declines in both would have started earlier and would have been steeper had it not been for the increasing prevalence of obesity. Indeed, some researchers have speculated that the longstanding, historic increases in life expectancy in the US may level off or even decline within the first half of this century as a result of the obesity epidemic.

Similar to adults, obesity among children and adolescents has tripled over the past several decades across race, ethnicity, and gender. In 2009-2010, 17% of American children ages 2 to 19 years were obese; obesity prevalence was 24% in African Americans, 21% in Hispanics, and 14% in non-Hispanic whites. Because overweight in youth tends to continue throughout life, efforts to establish healthy body weight patterns should begin in childhood. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents may increase incidence of cancer in the future.

2. Adopt a physically active lifestyle

Adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderateintensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week, or an equivalent combination, preferably spread throughout the week.

Children and adolescents should engage in at least 1 hour of moderate- or vigorous-intensity activity each day, with vigorous-intensity activity at least three days each week.

Limit sedentary behavior such as sitting, lying down, and watching television and other forms of screen-based entertainment.

Doing any intentional physical activity above usual activities, even if currently inactive, can have many health benefits.

Living a physically active lifestyle is important to reduce the risk of a variety of types of cancer, as well as heart disease and diabetes. Scientific evidence indicates that physical activity may reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including cancers of the breast, colon, and endometrium, as well as advanced prostate cancer. Physical activity also indirectly reduces the risk of developing the many types of obesity-related cancers because of its role in helping to maintain a healthy weight. Being active is thought to reduce cancer risk largely by improving energy metabolism and reducing circulating concentrations of estrogen, insulin, and insulin-like growth factors. Physical activity also improves the quality of life of cancer patients and is associated with a reduction in the risk of cancer recurrences and improved overall mortality in multiple cancer survivor groups, including breast, colorectal, prostate, and ovarian cancer.

Despite the wide variety of health benefits from being active, 25% of adults report no leisure-time activity, and only 49% meet minimum recommendations for moderate activity. Similarly, only 37% of youth meet recommendations. However, recent data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that trends may be improving. Walking prevalence (defined as walking for transportation or leisure in at least one bout of 10 minutes or more in the preceding 7 days) among adults increased significantly from 56% in 2005 to 62% in 2010.

3. Consume a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant foods

Choose foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Limit consumption of processed meat and red meat.

Eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day.

Choose whole grains instead of refined-grain products.

There is strong scientific evidence that healthy dietary patterns, in combination with regular physical activity, are needed to maintain a healthy body weight and to reduce cancer risk. Studies have shown that individuals who eat more processed and red meat, potatoes, refined grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages and foods are at a higher risk of developing or dying from a variety of cancers. Alternatively, adhering to a diet that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish or poultry and fewer red and processed meats is associated with lower risk. A recent study found that dietary and lifestyle behaviors consistent with the American Cancer Society nutrition and physical activity guidelines are associated with lower mortality rates for all causes of death combined, and for cancer and cardiovascular diseases, specifically. Despite the known benefits of a healthy diet, Americans are not following recommendations; according to the US Department of Agriculture, the majority of Americans would need to substantially lower their intake of added sugars, added fats, refined grains, and sodium, and increase their consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products in order to meet the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Currrently, the overall evidence related to dietary supplements does not support their use in cancer prevention. The results of recently completed randomized clinical trials of antioxidant supplements and selenium showed no reduction in risk for cancer, at least in generally well-nourished populations.

The scientific study of nutrition and cancer is highly complex, and many important questions remain unanswered. It is not presently clear how single nutrients, combinations of nutrients, over-nutrition, and energy imbalance, or the amount and distribution of body fat at particular stages of life affect a person’s risk of specific cancers. Until more is known about the specific components of diet that influence cancer risk, the best advice is to consume a mostly plant-based diet that limits red and processed meats and emphasizes a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A special emphasis should be placed on controlling total caloric intake to help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

4. If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit consumption

People who drink alcohol should limit their intake to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colorectum, and breast. For each of these cancers, risk increases substantially with the intake of more than two drinks per day. Even a few drinks per week may be associated with a slightly increased risk of breast cancer in women. The mechanism for how alcohol can affect breast cancer is not known with certainty, but it may be due to alcohol-induced increases in circulating estrogen or other hormones in the blood, reduction of folic acid levels, or a direct effect of alcohol or its metabolites on breast tissue. Alcohol consumption combined with tobacco use increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, larynx, and esophagus far more than either drinking or smoking alone.